Werke



Mar. 20, 1923;

C. DORNIER.

FLYING MACHINE CARRIAGE.

FILED MAR-31.19M-

3 NVENTUR [had 04%? Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATESMPATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDIUS DORNIER, FBIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 ZEPIELIN- WERKE .LINDAU, GESELLSGI'IAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAITUNG, OF LINIDAU- REUTIN, GERMANY, A. GERMAN CORPORATION.

FLYINGJMLAGHINE CARRIAGE.

Application filed March 31, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUnrUs DonNrnn, a citizen of the German Empire, residing at l riedrichshalen, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flyi.ngMachine Carriages (for which I have filed an. application in Germany, May 24, 1920), oi which the following is a specifi cation.

My invention relates to flying machines and more especially to the carriages thereof and its particular object is to avoid the drawbacks connected with the carriages hitherto in use. The provision of a carriage as is well known to those familiar with the art, involves numerous drawbacks which it has been endeavored to overcome or to at least minimize in manifold ways. One of the main detects resides in the objectionable air resistance thereby created. It has been suggested, to reduce this objectionable re sistance by arranging the carriage so as to be capable of beingdrawn in; this, however, results in an additional disadvantage, namely, of causing an increase in weight. so that the practical results thereby obtainable are rendered rather doubtful. Again the almost unavoidable breaking of the carriages oi? the type hitherto used in the event of rough landings, generally occasioned serious injury to the machine, since the very height of the carriage often favoured the liability of capsizing.

My invention is intended to remedy these defects by the hull of the flying machine being disposed so low that the substantially horizontal wheel axle can be directly con-- nected to the hull, the carriage proper be ing entirely eliminated. The axle may in this case be constructed so to form rigid fin-shaped, extensions projecting laterally from the bull, or else it may consist of an undivided entirety running right through from wheel to wheel, or also just extend to the sides oi the hull and be there lodged to rotate.

By these means there is provided a starting device which, while embodying light ness of weight and least possible resistance to the air, will offer the utmost safety even in the case of rough landings, since the possibility of the machine capsizing is rendered Serial No. 457,545.

practically impossible even in case the starting device should happen to break.

In the drawings ailixed to this speciiication and forming part thereof, two modifications of a flying machine hull embodying my invention are illustrated by way of ex ample. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view on line A--A in Fig. 2, of an arrangement comprising a shaft running right through from wheel to wheel.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding longitudinal view.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, the hull a carries on either side a fin-shaped reinforcing member 6 enclosing the wheel axle c with wheels cl. The shock absorbers, denoted by c, extend from the points of attachment f at the lower inside wall of the reinforcing memher 6 across the axle, so that the space intermediate the axle and the upper wall is available for the tightening thereof.

The axle shown in Fig. 3 is made in two parts. At the side walls of the hull 9 there are arranged links it permitting the axle sections 71 i to execute a movement transversely tothe axis of the hull.

Movement in this direction is limited to the suitable degree by the shock absorbers Z arranged within the fin-shaped reinforcing members.

I have found it expedient; to limit the working of the springs or shock absorbers in the customary manner in order to prevent any excessive resiliency and to insert at suit able places elastic layers between the parts as an additional means of protection for the wheel axle and the rigid extension members.

When employing the construction accord ing to Figs. 1 and 2 in connection with light aircraft, special shock absorbers may, if pre ferred, be omitted altogether and the resiliency relied upon exclusively which is pic vided by the material of which the wheel axle is made.

I claim:

1. A flying machine comprising in combination, a hull, wheel axles extending on either side of said hull and substantially on a level with its bottom, substantially tubu lar shells fixed to said hull and surrounding said axles and resilient shock absorbing means withim-ea/i 'shellsadaptedto relieve said axles-of*the strain acting thereon! 2. A fl ing machine comprising in combination, a hull, Wheel axles extending on either side, of said hull and substantially on a level with its bottom, and linked to said hull, substantially tubular shells fixed to said hull and surrounding said axles and resilient 10 shock-absorbin means within said shells adapted to rel eve saiflaxles of "the strain acting thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLAUDIUS 'DORNIER. 

